Combined fire-screen and fender



(No Model.)

- T. J. SUGGS.

GOMBINED FIRE SCREEN AND FENDER. No. 253,127. Patented Jan. 31,1882.

WITNESSES:

N. PETERS. PhclwLilhngmpMr, Wishmglan 1L4 Unites STATES 'areivr rrree;

THOMAS r seees, OF FORT GAINES, GEORGIA.

COMBINED FlRE-SCREEN AND FENDER.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,127, dated January 31, 1882,

' Application filed November 23, 1881. (No model.)

reference being had to the accompanying draw-- ings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is afront elevation of my improved fire-screen and fender partly broken away. Fig.

2 is a vertical section ofsaine on line 00 00, Fig. 1.

Heretofore a sheet-metal plate having ornamental figures painted on its outer face, forming a screen, and fitting over the mouth of a fire-place, and adapted to slide in grooves in the jambs, and raised by weights attached to cords secured to the upper end of the metal plate and passing over pulleys, has been employed as a combined fire-screen and fender. In this construction,when the sheet-metal plate forming the combined fire-screen and fender becomes hot the paintings are liable to be destroyed and the fender only remains, and when the fender is hot and raised it is extremely liable to set on fire the wooden mantel-piece surrounding it, and the construction above described also requires an addition to the upper part of the mantel-piece.

To remedy these defects is the object of my invention; and to these endsitconsists of two sheet-metal plates sliding in grooves in the jambs, the outer one provided with ornamental figures painted on its outer face and constituting the screen, and the inner sliding plate forming the fender, with a single balance-weight for each sliding plate, the femler,\vhe1i lowered, protecting .the screen, when down, from rain and soot falling down the chimney, and preventing the screen from being overheated and the paintings on its outer face from being destroyed, and the screen, when raised, preventing the heated fender, when raised, from setting fire to the mantel-piece by lying between it and the wooden mantel-piece, thus shielding the latter from the heat radiating from the fender.

In the accompanying drawings, a represents an ordinary fire-pl ace, and b a surrounding mantel-piece, provided with vertical channels 0 c in the sides of its back face and an open space betwcen'the back of the mantel-piece and the front wall of the fire-place.

r1 (1 represent the-jambs of the mantel-piece, the inner faces of each of which are provided with parallel vertical grooves h h, in which the screen it and fender l are adapted to slide, the screen it being arranged in the outer and the fender l in the inner vertical grooves, h, in the jambs. The grooves may be lined with sheetmetal to prevent danger from fire, if deemed necessary. The screen it is provided with ornamental figures painted on its outer face.

or represents a cord or chain, secured to the upper end of the-screen, near its middle, and passing thence vertically upward and partly around the horizontal grooved pulleys n, journaled in the sides of the open space between the mantel-piece and fire-place, and thence vertically partly down one of the vertical channels c, and is provided at its lower end with a weight, 0, which balances the weight of the screen la. The fender l, which slides in the inner grooves, h, of the jamb, is similarly provided with a cord, m, secured to the upper end of the fender, near its middle, and passing the fire-place and improving the appearance of 0 the room by the ornamental figures on its outer face.

' When it is desired to make a fire the screen is raised behind the mantel-piece, where it is protected from the heat of the fire and dust, thus preserving its beauty and leaving the fender for service. The fender is then raised and the fire kindled. After the fire is kindled the fender is lowered until its lower edge is a few inches above the hearth, which creates a strong draft, the fender acting as a blower. hen the fire is burning well the fender is but a single weight is employed to balance the screen and a single weight to balance the fender. The screen and fender are each provided with a projection or handle near its lower end, by means of which they may be raised or lowered, as desired.

What Iclaim as my invention is-- 1. The combination, with a fire-place and a mautehpiece surmounting said fire-place, of a fender and a screen arranged in front of the fender, the fender and screen being each balanced by a separate weight and adapted to be raised and lowered independently of each other in a space between the mantel-piece and the fireplace, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination,with the fire-place a and the mantel-piece I), provided with channels 0 and vertical grooves h h, of the fender 1, screen it, arranged in front of the fender, cords m m, pulleys n n, and weights 0 0, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS JONATHAN SUGGS.

Witnesses:

B. L. BROWN, J. 1). OWEN. 

